Won't Back Down REMAKE
by SergeantJohnston
Summary: She thought she was coming home to start over and make a new life for herself. She was letting the military life go and take up the normal, American life. She was going to rekindle past relationships and make things right. Things were going to be different now; she was going to be different...But, then again, things don't always go the way we plan...MW3 fanfic, Soap/OC pairing
1. Prologue

**Hey everyone! Quick little note here! I'd like to say that this is a remake of an old story, the first story I uploaded years ago. For years, I've been very disappointed in how the first attempt came out and felt that it had a lot more potential than the crap-fest I turned it into. There are many plotholes and mistakes made in the story and I cringe every time at the sloppiness of it all...blegh *shivers* So, hopefully, I can turn this into something good. Or, I can ruin it further. Either way, I will use this as an experiment. Something to test myself and to see if I have actually learned anything over the years of many flaws and mistakes. **

**So, with that said, please do enjoy this remake! If you would like to read the original, which I don't see why you would haha, then you can easily go to my profile and it should be there along with others! :3 I was, originally, going to delete the stories and upload it on another site for the purpose of looking back, but a friend recommended keeping it and I agreed because I'm a lazy tard who doesn't want to do anything that takes time...**

**Anyway, please enjoy and please leave some feedback! Anything would be appreciated! Thank you!**

* * *

_June 15, 1997_

_Philadelphia, Pennsylvania_

_The Woods Family and Melody Johnston_

_Four-year-old Melody Johnston watched the cartoons that her mother provided on the television in her grandparents living room silently; still dressed in her pajamas and clutching a bowl of her favorite cereal._

_To her, it was like any Thursday morning. She lived with her grandparents throughout the week and her mother or father would collect her for the weekend. Though Melody promised her mother she would never tell anyone, her home wasn't suitable for her to live in anymore. The problem was her parents._

_She had a good mother who loved her more than anything in the world, but her father didn't act the same as he had years before. Melody knew, deep down, her father loved her as her mother did, but he was plagued with a darkness and void that made him cold and distant. She no longer felt his love like she did when she was just a toddler and couldn't understand why. _

_Sometimes, she wondered if it was her. Yes, it was the most common thought for a child with fighting parents. Her mother reassured her that it wasn't her and that there was nothing she could ever do to make them mad at her. So, then she suggested it was her new baby sister._

_Her mother, Melanie, kept her newborn daughter, Krista, with her throughout the week because she was still breastfeeding and couldn't leave her under her parents care like she could her oldest daughter. As a result, Melody hardly knew her little sister._

_She had been at the hospital with the rest of her family when she was born and had been able to hold her once or twice, but besides that, she didn't have a connection with her like her mother. The only time she saw her on was the weekend, yet they barely spent time together. Krista was definitely spoiled on her mother since she was really the only human she interacted with anymore. She wailed when Melody came near and refused that the girl touch her._

_Melody was, honestly, hurt by her sister's obvious dislike of her and blamed their parents' arguments on her. The baby didn't like anyone but their mother, so, to her young, naïve mine, it made sense that someone would fight over her. She fought over the classmates she didn't like so why would a baby make a difference?_

_Of course, she never voiced her theory. She knew her grandmother would scold her for thinking so harshly towards her young sibling and then she'd have to sit there and listen to her speech when she'd much rather watch her cartoons in peace._

_So, as she munched on her cereal, she pictured everything to be normal. She was regretting tomorrow for she knew it was her father's turn to pick her up and then she'd have to deal with her parents bickering and a screeching baby for the next three days._

_That's what she liked most about being with her grandparents. One thing, they got along and loved each other dearly so that meant she didn't have to put her fingers in her ears to block out screaming at night. Second, there were no babies to be looked after. Besides herself, the youngest were the twelve year old twins. She already decided that she didn't like babies and enjoyed the peace and quiet of her grandparents' home._

_Although, while Melody considered everything to be perfectly normal, her grandfather thought otherwise. He knew something was seriously wrong going on within his oldest daughter's family. It was obvious since she was keeping Melody at their home throughout the week. She claimed that their days were too busy with their jobs and the baby and didn't have time for their daughter during the day nor could they afford a babysitter. He didn't buy it like his wife did._

_He had even called their house one day and heard Melanie answer on the other end. The shock and panic was obvious in her voice as she stuttered out the first excuse she could think of. When he asked her if she wanted to come and see Melody, she nearly screamed her denial that was followed by the sound of something made of glass crashing in the background. He didn't hear a single sound after that besides the dial tone._

_He was scared for his oldest daughter and feared for his young granddaughters. He didn't know the details, but he knew something was wrong. Yet, he seemed to be the only one who thought so. He even tried to get something out of Melody, but she immediately sobered and told him everything she figured he wanted to hear in the best mechanical voice he had ever heard for a four year old. He knew she was just obeying, probably, her parents and repeating what they told her to say, but he wished she would just reveal everything to him._

_She was stubborn though, just like her mother and grandmother before her, so he knew it was pointless to try and get anything out of her if she wasn't doing it willingly. _

_So, now he just sat in the living room with her and joined her in her morning cartoons. He wasn't fond of what she was watching, exactly, and usually complained about getting a headache just hearing the high-pitched, animated voices, but she had been complaining for weeks that he never watched her cartoons with her, but he watched shows with the twins and Frankie, their eldest son that was still living with them. So, he had no choice but to watch cartoons with her. They had been teaching her about being fair and it backfired when he realized that she had actually been paying attention and used their lessons against him._

_Though, their moment of peace and cartoons was interrupted when Frankie came in from the hallway and plopped down beside Melody, nearly causing her to spill her bowl of cereal._

"_Hey, Little Bit." He greeted with a cheeky smile and threw an arm over her little shoulder._

_She just looked up at him and glared. "You almost made me spill my _Fruity Pebbles!"_ She exclaimed as she clutched her bowl closer towards her chest. _

_He arched a brow as she continued to glare at him and slowly raised her spoon to take another bite. "Oh, I'm sorry, Little Bit. We all know how the world would go up in flames if our precious baby didn't get her _Fruity Pebbles!" _He said in an over exaggerated, sorrowfully tone. He brought a hand to his mouth as he faked to hold back tears and fanned himself mockingly._

_Melody just frowned at her seventeen-year-old uncle. "I am not a baby." She grumbled as she took another bite of her cereal._

_Frankie just chuckled at her obvious annoyance at the pet name. He knew how much she absolutely hated being underestimated. He wasn't sure who she got it from, but he did know that he absolutely loved getting on the little girl's nerves._

_This time, he averted his attention to the cartoon she was watching. "Seriously? This show? Well, I guess it fits. A rugrat watching other rugrats." He teased her choice of cartoons with a sly smile._

_Melody nearly threw her bowl down on the coffee table in front of her and jumped up so she could punch her uncle's arm better. It didn't faze Frankie as he laughed harder with each swing._

_Frank should his head at the two and rolled his eyes. Sometimes, he feared for the world that his son would soon be considered a legal adult just next year. "Alright, you two. Cut the shit out. Jess'll be pissed at all three of us if guys make a mess." He ordered the two, wrestling children._

_With that said, Jesselynn came through the back door from the backyard at the same time that Melody caught her grandfather and jumped up to stand on the couch and jut a finger towards him._

"_Ha! Grandpa, you said 'shit' and 'pissed'! You owe me two dollars!" She yelled with a smug expression. Over the past year and a half, Melody had been catching on to words, both good and bad, so they set up a swear jar. She currently had about fifty dollars worth of change._

_Frankie cackled at his young niece while Frank groaned and softly slapped his forehead. Jesselynn, on the other hand, was not amused by her granddaughter's obvious choice of cursing._

"_Melody Marie!" She immediately scolded and placed her hands on her hips after dumping her armful of toys onto the kitchen counter._

_Melody's arm fell limp to her side and she plopped back down on the couch, no longer happy that she earned two more dollars. Jesselynn rounded the couch to face her properly._

"_Grandpa said it first." She grumbled as she picked up her bowl of cereal again; she didn't dare make any eye contact with her grandmother._

_She pursed her lips and arched a brow. "Melody, we've been over this. Just because you hear people say things doesn't mean you have to say it." She gently scolded her for the umpteenth time that week._

_Melody muttered an apology and ate the rest of her cereal in peace. Jesselynn turned to her son and husband with the same, maternal scowl on her face._

"_Frankie, don't encourage her! She hears you laugh; she'll think she's being rewarded or funny. Same goes for you, Frank. How many times do I have to ask: Please, don't curse in front of the kids?!" She said, practically pleading with her husband as she even folded her hands to further display her desperation._

"_All the damn time…" Frank countered with a sly smile creeping on his lips._

_Jesselynn groaned but couldn't resist the urge to grin. "Ugh, I give up! Please, at least dial down the profanities…Oh, Frankie, don't forget that you're gonna have to get going in about thirty minutes." She reminded the teenager before leaving the room when they heard her youngest son, Samuel, call out to her from his room._

_As Jesselynn left the room, Frank turned to Frankie and arched a brow. "Since when do you have plans?" He jokingly commented. Melody giggled as she finished her breakfast._

"_Ha ha ha, you're hilarious." Frankie replied sarcastically. "If you must know, I have a breakfast date."_

"_Damn…what poor soul did you have to bribe into that?" Frank teased again as he pushed his wheelchair closer towards the couch._

_Frankie pursed his lips and arched a brow, resisting the urge to reply sarcastically. Melody answered, though, before he had the chance to even open his mouth._

"_He's going out with Maarrriii." She sang, stretching the name, and batted her eyelashes._

_Frankie snorted and placed his hand on her face and pushed her away when she started to make kissing faces and noises. "Shut it, rugrat. And only I can call her Mari. You shall refer to her as Marissa and Marissa only." _

_Melody just stuck her tongue out at him and focused on her cartoons, disinterested in teenage issues._

"_Huh, so you two still going strong, then? Have to admit, figured she would've got some sense a long time ago." He said, obviously impressed that his son's relationship had last so long._

_Frankie threw his hands up in annoyance and then crossed them. "Thanks, Dad. Way to build the confidence."_

_Frank just chuckled. "Heh, you're welcome…Hey, where are you brother and sister?" He wondered aloud. It was too quiet, even for the morning._

"_Which one?" Frankie asked wittily as he stared at the television with Melody._

_Frank rolled his eyes. "The ones that still live with you, smartass." _

_Frankie shrugged and before Frank could wheel himself away or get annoyed by the teenager, Melody spoke up for them._

"_Auntie 'Mantha is in her room writing in her diary and Uncle Sammy is painting a new picture thing." She answered matter-of-factly, her eye glued to the TV screen._

_Frank and Frankie exchanged a glance and looked back at her. "How'd you know that? I haven't seen you move since early this morning." Frank asked for the both of them._

_Melody shrugged and swallowed her last bite of cereal. "I like to check on everyone and make sure they're still there when I wake up. Frankie was in the shower forever so I got to have an adventure in your bedroom." She said in the same tone as before._

_Frankie's concentration on the cartoon show was broken as he slowly looked over at his niece, a glare immediately set on his face. "You what?"_

_Melody nodded though he hadn't asked a specific question. "Yeah, and you have really interesting magazines."_

_Frank arched a brow while Frankie grew red with embarrassment and anxiety. "What do you mean interesting?" He pressed on, terrified of what was going to come out of his young niece's mouth._

_Melody took a moment to think over her answer. She didn't understand the magazine and why he wanted it. She thought it was boring. "There was a lot of girls. They had really big…well, you know…boops." She said a little nervously as she gestured towards her own flat chest and used the word she and her mother came up with._

"_Oh my God!" Frankie exclaimed as he clutched his skull, hoping to hide himself from the embarrassment._

"_Also, she didn't have clothes on….She was on a boat too. Wouldn't she get all wet and cold? Grandma needs to teach her about covering up." Melody stated innocently as she arched a brow at the girl's obvious lack of knowledge of dressing._

_Frank bellowed a hearty, guttural laugh as Frankie grew redder and redder as his father's mocking laughs echoed in his ears. "Melody! You ever come in my room again I'm gonna kill you!" He threatened and suddenly bolted from the couch._

_Melody's eyes followed him as he stormed outside, ready for Marissa to come so he could get far from here. She was leaning against the back of the couch, shrugged, and plopped back down so she could finish her cartoons. Frank arched a brow at the girl, but shrugged it off along with her. He was sure that he probably should've done something, but he, again, shrugged it off. Maybe Jesselynn would hear about it later and take care of it._

_So, the two watched the rest of the TV show to their heart's content –mostly Melody's content and Frank's suffering— until the scheduled three episodes were over. He was fixing to claim ownership of the television when they heard a ring echo through the home. Melody jumped up on the couch and leaned against the back of the couch again, straining to see who was at the door._

_When he realized that no one was coming to get the door, he pushed himself back in his wheelchair as he dodged the couch. Though, a younger family member was faster than him as they dashed through the hallway and nearly made themselves fall over as they tried to dodge the older man in the wheelchair._

"_Hey! Samantha, watch it!" He barked at his tween daughter who didn't even bother to glance behind her as she shouted her reply._

"_Sorry, Dad! It could be Ryan and I'm wearing perfume!" _

_Frank shook his head and returned to his previous place with Melody as another morning cartoon program came on and Melody tapped her foot into the air along with the theme song. He wondered what was with his kids lately; they all seemed to be interested in boys and/or girls and dating. His oldest had been married for years and had two children, Michael had a five year old and a three year old and now even Jessica was expecting her first child. Like he had mentioned before, Frankie would be considered a legal adult within a year and he was sure that he'd knock up some girl a couple years after that. The only real young children he had anymore were the twins and they were almost teenagers. When he and his family get so old?_

_He turned to Melody who was enjoying the cartoon that she had never heard of before and grinned. She was his oldest granddaughter, but she was practically like his own child. For one, he and Jesselynn were practically raising her at the moment and because he saw so much of Melanie in the girl. Besides her brown eyes and her dark, chestnut hair, she was an exact copy of her mother. Frank had missed the first four years of Melanie's life involuntarily, yet he couldn't say the same for Melody. Even though Melanie was almost thirty years old, he still felt guilt and regret eating at him to think he missed so many moments of her life, along with the others. _

_He had thought that being there for Melody's life would somehow satisfy him and take some of the guilt away, but he was just lying to himself. Though, it wasn't a total loss; he still felt happy and even a little proud to say that he was present almost every time Melody reached and passed a milestone in her life. She even passed one of Frank's milestones though her mother and grandmother scolded him for encouraging it. About every one of his girls had picked a fight with a boy and come out victorious and he rewarded it even though Jesselynn would be quick to swoop in and get onto the both of them._

_As Samantha answered the door, Frank watched Melody soak in the bright colors and goofy, animated characters and chuckled humorlessly. "Melody, you don't like you boys, right?"_

_Melody barely broke her concentration as she glanced at her grandfather and shook her head. "No, Grandpa. They're stupid." She answered with a wrinkled nose._

_He chuckled again, with humor this time, and gave her a thumbs-up. "Good girl, remember that when you get older." He advised though he wasn't sure if she was even paying attention anymore as Samantha threw the door open and groaned at the visitor._

"_Oh, it's just you." She said disappointed that the visitor wasn't the boy she had hoped would come and see her. Her shoulders sagged and she stepped aside so the guest could come inside as Frankie drove away with Marissa._

_Melanie scoffed with a grin as clutched a folder in her hands and stepped inside. "Well, nice to see you, too, little sis." She greeted sarcastically as her younger sister trudged away._

_Melody perked when she heard her mother's voice and jumped from the couch, meeting her mother's eyes, and darted down the hallway. Frank caught the fear in his granddaughter's eyes as she sped by and looked up at Melanie. "What brings you so early?"_

_Melanie sensed the suspicion in his words and his very look, for she had learned to decipher it amongst his other looks lately. Whenever she and Melody were in the same room with the man, that was the look he'd used until they eventually left. She was pretty sure that he gave the same look to Benjamin as well._

"_I just decided to pick up Melody early this time around. I've really missed her. I finally got a sitter so Krista's with her and I thought Melody and I could do something since I'm not working." Melanie replied with a smile. She hadn't told him the whole truth, but she didn't completely lie either. She missed her daughter every hour she wasn't with her, but she was settling something more important than a simple mother-daughter fun day._

_Frank just nodded and jabbed his thumb behind him towards the hallway. "Well, as you saw, she hauled it down the hallway. Your mother's in one of the rooms too, in case you wanted to talk to her." He finally answered as he pushed himself out of the way so she had clearance._

_Melanie just grinned her thanks and nodded. As she walked by her father, he suddenly snatched her wrist and pulled her close to him. "Dad?" She demanded, at first scared, but now overcome with curiosity once she saw her father's expression._

"_You're alright at home, right, Mells? You gotta tell me that you're safe, you and the kids, at home. And don't you lie to me." He ordered in that rough, grizzly voice of his and clenched his jaw to keep his anger and distrust towards Benjamin under bay._

_At first, Melanie tensed when her father snatched her wrist, but now she relaxed when she realized the distress behind her father's words. She grinned, but it didn't reach her eyes, as she answered him. "Yes, Daddy. Everything's fine. Trust me, there's nothing you have to worry about." _

_Frank searched her face for any signs of lying, but he couldn't find any. Perhaps, Jesselynn was right; maybe he was over reacting. Still, there was something gnawing at him that he could shake. He eventually nodded and let go of her wrist. Melanie placed her hand against his shoulder before leaving him alone in the living room._

_Now, she searched for her mother and daughter as she strolled down the hallway. As she did, a million memories came to mind. After moving out of Martha and Walter's home, she grew up here. It wasn't far from the place that she and her family were found mercy and Jesselynn thought it was absolutely perfect. Melanie remembered the days when all her siblings took residence in the home and the chaos of busy mornings. Her grin faded as she remembered how simple things were then. _

_She remembered slowly and silently tip-toeing down this very same hallway when she tried to sneak out to be with her then-boyfriend, Benjamin. Once or twice, her parents or younger sibling would catch her and she'd end up trudging back to her home, growling at them under her breath. She thought life was so unfair when she was teenager because her parents wouldn't let her sneak off at night to be alone with a boy. She scoffed; she had no idea what lay ahead in her future. What lay ahead when she actually got to be alone with a man._

_A hand found its way to her now-flat stomach to caress the round stomach that there was there not too long ago when she remembered that the little human that rested in her stomach was no longer there, but sleeping soundly at home with a sitter. For months, she took comfort in feeling life deep within her, but now she found other means. Now, she took comfort when her daughter was under her parents care during the week. At least she wasn't completely introduced to the kind of drama she was currently living in, daily._

_Melanie sighed and forced those thoughts away with one, new positive thought. She was getting her daughters from the danger their home seemed to provide. They wouldn't have to suffer their father's fits of wrath any longer._

_She knocked against the doorframe of Samuel's room and simultaneously, the three spun around to meet the visitor. Melody had just crawled onto Samuel's bed, hiding her face into her grandmother's hip as she and Samuel observed his newest piece of art. Jesselynn had just been marveling over it when Melanie appeared._

_The shock on her face melted away and was replaced with a warm, welcoming grin. "Melanie, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you so early?" _

_Melanie caught Melody's brown eyes peeking over at her from behind the fabric of her grandmother's clothes before she darted them away and turned her head from her mother. Melanie's heart sank to her stomach; she knew what her daughter was going through. When Mama was at Grandma and Grandpa's, it wasn't for a visit. "Well, I actually have two reasons, Mom. One's a, uh, private matter." She said hesitantly and glanced at her youngest brother who was currently gathering his art supplies that were scattered around his room._

_Jesselynn caught the hint and nodded twice. "Okay…Um, Sammy, can you watch Melody for a little bit while I talk with your sister?" She asked the pre-teen. She could feel the uneasiness emitting from her daughter and was scared of what she wanted to secretly discuss._

_Samuel looked up from a mountain of art supplies that he threw on the bed beside Melody and nodded once. "Sure, Mom." He replied and set Melody on a task of helping him clean up his mess. Normally, Jesselynn would tell him to quit using his young niece to clean his mess, but Melanie already had a grip on her wrist and was pulling her into another room._

_Mother and daughter slipped in a room that Melanie knew from heart; her old room. She hadn't been in there in years, yet she still remembered everything about it. Even the squeaky board two steps on the right. She had to have that memorized or she would've been caught every time she attempted to sneak out with a boy or friends._

"_Melanie? What's so important that you nearly had to take my arm off?" She demanded and rubbed her wrist once Melanie had locked the door behind her and flipped on the lights._

_She was silent for a moment as she took three swift strides to the old desk in the corner and threw her purse onto it. Jesselynn's brows creased together more and more the closer she drew to her daughter and peeked over her shoulder. There were countless papers from two or three documents, but she couldn't read exactly what kind of documents they were. Before she could investigate, Melanie spun on her heel to face her mother._

"_I'm divorcing Ben…Well, hopefully." She finally announced with a twinkle of excitement in her eyes, yet it didn't match the look of regret on her face._

_Jesselynn took a step back and placed a hand over her heart. "Why the hell would you do that?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing! For years, all her daughter wanted was to be with Ben and now she was trying to legally separate herself from him. It didn't make sense._

_Melanie was silent again as she threw her documents back onto the desk and now focused on her jacket. Jesselynn watched with a nervous, rapid-beating heart as Melanie peeled the jacket off, pulled up the ¾ length sleeve, and revealed the rest of her arm to her mother._

_It didn't take long to spot the bruises that were the obvious result of an angry hand forcing to do or go somewhere she wasn't willing to. She lost count how many times she tried to hide those from the outside world. As realization sunk in, tears rimmed her eyes and now a hand came up to cup her mouth._

"_Let's just say that Ben hasn't been himself since Brittany died." Melanie explained sorrowfully with a hint of sarcasm and then rolls her sleeve back down._

_Jesselynn's fingers remained at her lips as she took a moment to process this. She tried so many years to keep her precious children away from experiences like this, but now her daughter had managed to get in the same situation she had been in years prior. It was even more shocking considering that she, along with her entire family, had considered Benjamin trustworthy and called him her son, by marriage or not._

"_How…How long?" Was the only question that made it to the surface out of the million that had flooded her mind ever since she saw the evidence._

_Melanie was quiet for a moment as she threw her jacket back on and straightened it. "Like I said, since Brittany. He's had a temper ever since, but he never got violent until after Melody was born. He threatened to strangle me if I named our daughter after his sister's deceased infant that didn't live long after birth. He eventually changed his mind, but it seriously scared the life outta me when he first screamed at me. For the longest, he was violent and threw a temper at every little thing. Now a days, he's just very…distant. Cold, even. Melody's so scared of him and I'm terrified to think of what Krista will have to put up with."_

_Jesselynn let her hand slide back by her side, but then used both hands to rub the shock from her face. "Melanie….I. I don't even know what to say." She stuttered speechlessly._

"_You don't have to say anything, don't worry. I have it all planned out, I've been working on it for months. I have the perfect plan to getting full-custody of the girls. I have the best lawyer and everything. I still love Benjamin, and I always will, but the person he is now is not who needs to be part of my girls' lives." She explained as she took a step over and gathered her documents from the desk._

_Jesselynn watched her try to juggle the papers and hand them one-by-one to her. "Just look over it all. I got tons of this stuff. You know, a bunch of legal papers and things like that. I'm gonna do better for my girls than what I have been now. This has been going on too long and I'm ready for it to end," she paused as she shifted the documents around in her hands and grinned though it didn't reach her eyes, "You know, I never wanted this to happen. When I was younger, I always thought that Ben and I were gonna have some kind of fairytale ending. Funny how life plays out, huh?"_

_Jesselynn resisted the urge to scoff, she knew exactly what her daughter was talking about, but decided to keep those memories silent. She had brought them up too many times anyway. "Sweetie, if this is what you believe is the absolute best way for you and the girls then I fully support it. Just…take care of yourself, okay? Something as big as this is hard to get over, no matter what outcome you get."_

_Melanie grinned half-heartedly at her wise words and began to gather her things to leave. "I will, Mom. Trust me. I'm gonna get the girls far from Ben, out from under his…tantrums." _

_Jesselynn grinned warmly, pleased with the news, though she didn't pick up on what her daughter had been hinting at. Though, Melanie didn't push it. Perhaps it would be better for her and her family if she didn't tell them. She had to get them away so no matter how much she didn't want to go with her plan, she had to._

"_Don't tell a single soul about this until I spread the news, okay? Especially Dad. There's no telling what he'd do if he knew what was happening. There'll be a better time later." She asked as she stuffed her folders into her purse before stepping towards the door._

_Jesselynn nodded three times with a grin and prepared herself to face the rest of her family and act like nothing had happened. She didn't even see Melanie slip from her view, but heard her voice pop up in Samuel's room where Melody was still at, though this time she was leaning over her young uncle's shoulder, watching him touch-up his new painting. _

_Of course, the usual argument started when Melanie commanded her to pack her up things so they could leave. Jesselynn always hated this part, but now she just prayed that this was going to be the last time she had to endure this. Maybe, if things did turn out the way Melanie was planning, Melody would be happier at the idea of going home. Again, she prayed this was the right thing._

* * *

_July 7, 2015_

_Washington_

_Sergeant Melody Johnston_

Twenty-two year old Melody cupped her hands under the running water flowing from the faucet and threw the ice cold water on her exhausted face. The chilling water immediately awoken her senses as every nerve was suddenly flushed out, leaving her nearly gasping from the extreme sensitivity. Though as cold and intense as it was, she also sighed in momentary relief.

She hadn't slept in days and fighting sleep was turning into a bloodbath, if you may. There were too many images flashing through her mind that kept her screaming and clawing at the skin of her temple, desperate to stop the inner turmoil she was in.

It had been four years. A lot of things can happen in four years. Some she wasn't proud to admit. Others were too painfully blissful to recall. So many people she met. So many memories made, both good and bad. So many screams of agony or fear ringing through her ears. The poor, innocent souls that suffered in her wake. The look of pure shock and horror at the realization of death flashing across a pair of eyes that belonged to the man who had been her first kill. Whether or not he had just been sprinting towards her, ready to slit her throat and watch the blood stream from her seemingly delicate skin, he was still a human being. He had a life, good or bad, and perhaps family waiting for him to return home. Sure, he had obviously hated her and everything she stood for after taking a glimpse at the uniform she wore, but he was still a person.

She was praised for acting quickly before he could get a hold of her, but now she wished she had been slow. She wished that the blade would have pierced her skin. She wished she had experienced the agony as he continued to push the blade down into her chest cavity, quick to end her life. It would've been all over right then and there. No, she was the unlucky one. She was alive. It was her curse.

Millions, perhaps, told her how lucky and grateful she should be that she was still there and able to walk out, with no trouble but a simple limp that would heal over time, on her own two feet. Her wounds were going to heal and she would be "normal" again after recovery and therapy. While all of this is true, this she understood, she didn't feel very lucky. If everything that had happened, everything she had done, had to take place just for her to live, she would gladly accept death. Yet, she was a coward. She was unable to end it herself. She thought highly of just taking the "easy way out" but she found it not so easy.

She thought of her father and what he would think of what she would do. In her damaged mind, she knew she would be a disgrace to him. He was forced to retire from his injuries when he would much rather be serving his country instead of sitting around home all day, unable to walk properly. Now, here she was, able-bodied to return to duty, yet she chose the option of resignation. There was no doubt that he had already disowned her ever since the news got out of her failure.

It was all her fault; there was no doubt about it. Her doctors, nurses, and comrades who she had never officially met constantly tried to reassure her that she wasn't at blame, but she knew they were lying. Maybe even they knew they were lying, but were too kind to admit it. She knew her mistakes. She killed them. She loved them more than anything else in the world, but she killed them.

"Yo, Mouse, c'mon man! Tired of waiting around for you, it's been thirty minutes. I gotta get you to your drop-off, pronto. You're not the only one getting to see your folks again."

Melody jumped at the booming voice, accompanied with a loud banging on the bathroom door, and resisted the urge to rip the door back and lunge at the man behind it. It was just Corporal Nichols, not the enemy. Instead of releasing her killer instinct upon him, she gripped to the sides of the sink until her knuckles turned white.

"If you call me Mouse again I promise to rip out your tongue and feed it to you." She finally responded as she gathered her bag, slung it on her shoulder, and threw the door open, meeting her companion on the other side.

Corporal Nichols just grinned and rolled his eyes at her, yet didn't say another word. He wasn't necessarily scared of her, but didn't want to cause her to have some mental breakdown in the middle of the airport. "Whatever you say, Johnston. You ready to hit the road? Still got about a coupla hours to go 'til we get you home."

She sighed and blew her disheveled hair from her face. "Yeah, I suppose so. Not like I have anywhere else." She agreed and swooped to pick up her duffel bag that Nichols had been watching over moments before.

Corporal Nichols grinned and led her towards the exit. She felt bad for snapping at him as they walked together in silence. He was the only one that offered to accompany her on her flight after hearing about her terror of flying in an airplane again. He felt bad for her and admitted to also having a fear of flying. So, he was brave enough to lead them on the plane and was able to keep her calm during their long journey. He had been the only one willing to take her and she owed a lot to him already.

Yet, she couldn't help it. She had brought up her old callsign. The ones who had brought it to life were now dead. It didn't seem right to even voice the nickname anymore. If anyway was going to, it had to be them. She supposed it was also poetical. Just as they had died, the old Melody went along with them, taking the silly term of endearment with them. They had thought long and hard on her callsign and were rather proud of it. They claimed it was a piece of absolute perfection, though now all she wanted was to be rid of the memory of the name.

She decided to shake that from her mind and began to think about the family she was going to reunite with. Truthfully, there wasn't much of a family to go back to. Her mother had tried to separate from her father, but things didn't end up so well on her part. Turns out her father had some more powerful friends than her great lawyer. He was able to win his case by claiming that Melanie was neglectful and had a way to prove his case. He had way too many connections and it most likely wasn't a fair trial, but that didn't make a difference. It was final.

So, her father was given full custody of Melody and her mother had full custody of her baby sister. After that, she kept to her plan and moved far off with baby Krista. Melody felt betrayed by her mother. She could see the reason behind it and understood, but it didn't make her feel any better about it. She had promised her that the three of them would go away together and they'd be happy. Now, she was stuck with her father and his distant, cold attitude as a role model while growing up. She barely even remembered what her mother and sister looked like since she took all of the photo albums along with her. Her father didn't keep any pictures either.

Though, Benjamin did the same as Melanie. He was able to find a new home and job in Washington and moved him and Melody far away from their family. So, here she was, with her family halfway across the states with only her father as her only relative. She barely remembered everyone from Philadelphia though. Yes, she still remembered some memories, but faces were blurry. Every day she wondered about her aunts and uncles, who they had grown up to be.

She always wondered if her Uncle Frankie had actually grown up to be a soldier like his father and marry his girlfriend, Mari. She wondered her Uncle Michael's second child had been a girl like she had wished. She wondered what his son, Lucas, was like now. They were around the same age, so it was common for them to be playmates. She didn't remember much about him, but she did remember how he always tried to add some kind of action to a simple game of house and how she absolutely hated it.

Most of all, she missed her grandparents. She missed her grandmother's bedtime stories accompanied with a look into her old photo albums. She used to love hearing the stories of her grandparents past. She missed her grandfather's war stories and how he had helped her get away with stealing sweets from the kitchen before dinner. A grin lifted the corner of her mouth as she remembered how he used to ride her around in his wheelchair, her lounging lazily on his lap, when she was too lazy to get around on her own. He had claimed that they were just alike and that the only reason he kept the wheelchair was because he was too lazy to stand on his own two feet anymore.

An uncomfortable ache pulled at her heart as she recalled the memories. It was time to put that way, though. She had made a promise to herself to put everything in the past and leave it there. She was starting over, making a new life for herself after the military. Her constantly strolling down memory lane wasn't going to help her any.

So, with a sigh, she focused on what she was going to tell her father once she saw him again after four years of separation and left her past in the past. She prayed that she would never have to resurface them again.

Though, things don't always go the way we plan.

* * *

**So, I don't have much to say down here except please review! I've never been this nervous about a story before and would really appreciate what you guys think and any kind of help you have to offer! I'm excited about starting this up again, but also, like I said, very nervous considering how horribly my first attempt was...**


	2. Chapter 1: The Nightmares

**Hey, everyone! I'd like to say thank you all so much for the support I've already received! You guys have no idea what it means to see you guys saying those nice words so early! So, I want to say a huge thank you! Also, if you've read my Call of Duty: Black Ops fanfiction, then you'd know have I review responses on about every chapter. So, I will do so with this story. I think, since you guys take the time to review and be nice, I can easily do so by answering! I feel connected to you guys when I do...Gosh, why does that sound creepy...Anyway...**

**Review Responses:**

**revolt-against-humanity: OMG YAS! I'm so happy you're happy! Haha :D That's so very sweet! Honestly, I've been strolling down memory lane as well. Seems like forever ago I was so absorbed with Melody and her story. Now, it feels weird, a good, nostalgic, weird going down it again. I can't wait to see how this is going to go and how y'all are going to receive it! **

**Laura627: Yay! I did update :) Lol, thanks for reviewing and I hope to see you again...*hint hint* :P**

**Prettyprincess45: Hey, you! :) Yaaayy! I'm so happy you love it! Trust me, it means a lot to hear that coming from you since you make the greatest stories, ever! Thank you for the kind words! I think I still have a long way to go, but it's a process and I'm learning. I've progressed since the original, but I know, for sure, I'm gonna need a LOT work and it helps when I have awesome people like you to back me up! :3**

* * *

_July 7, 2015_

_Washington_

_Sergeant Melody Johnston and Corporal Jake Nichols_

Melody and Corporal Nichols were silent as they listened to the news playing from the car radio, miles of fields and the occasional farm house flying by them. Melody wasn't really paying attention to what the man with the monotone voice was trying to tell her, but she had a guess. Every news station in the country was talking about the world's latest, breaking news.

Yes, even though she had been distant and unconnected from the military world lately, she had heard the news. She heard about Captain John Price on the Most Wanted list. Though the news told her about his treachery, she refused to believe it.

Captain Price was well-known within her immediate family. Years before she was even born, Captain Price had met her father, Captain Benjamin Johnston, on a joint operation. She had never heard much about the mission itself because the objective was classified, but she had heard about her father and Price's connection.

They were in the same squad together and they had been ambushed. Benjamin had been giving his men cover when he was shot in the knee. He couldn't even crawl because the wound was too severe. The others were obeying orders and retreating, not even bothering to look back. Except for Captain Price.

Price was the only one who came back for Benjamin and took out a whole squad by himself just to protect him and get him back to the others. It was because of Price that Melody and her sister, Krista, had been able to be born. If Price hadn't been as brave for Benjamin's sake, Benjamin would've been killed and he and Melanie would've never married, and then, wouldn't have conceived and given birth to Melody about a year or two later. Her family owed everything to Captain Price.

Melody, herself, had only really met Captain Price once, that she remembered. She was about three when he was given leave and made a trip to visit Benjamin and see how he was recovering. She didn't remember much about him, but her mother told her once that she had, at first, been scared of him because of his British accent. Prior to their meeting, she had never heard someone with a different accent and thought he was scary. Price had befriended her after a while by, jokingly, agreeing with her after she complained about her mother not allowing her to do something that would've hurt her.

After that, all she heard was updates about him. She wasn't given all the details and she understood now, but she always wanted to know more. She always idolized him and thought he was the coolest, bravest man she had ever known. Benjamin encouraged her fascination with him and his military life.

Then again, he had been doing that nearly her entire life. He thought that one of his children needed to join the military and continue on the tradition that was known on both sides of the family. She knew her family had quite the history of being in battle. Even her grandmother had a major role in those stories.

Now, though, she wished she had never kept the tradition alive. She always thought that this was what she wanted. She had wanted to have adventures like the others and make her own unique story for herself like her parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents had to tell. Though, now she would give anything to be able to tell others about her boring, plain life.

Melody knew where her thoughts were drifting and quickly stopped. She was done with those thoughts, yet that seemed to be the only thing her brain wanted to dwell on. She fought back the urge to growl and looked out her window.

The sight was a very familiar one. To be honest, she wasn't sure if she would ever see it again. On her first trip this way four years ago, she stared out her window and thought she needed to take in everything and remember every detail, for she figured she would never be given the chance to do so again. Yet, here she was on the return trip, staring out the window and taking in the scenery.

They were about an hour or so away from their destination and it was a three hour trip back to her home town after that. Corporal Nichols had been kind enough to call her father for her and make the arrangements. He seemed to be taking control of everything recently.

They hadn't known each other prior to this, but he had overheard some of his buddies talking about her and her condition, and what caused her condition, and had compassion for her. He was the only one to take action of those compassionate feelings, though. Normally, she'd be bitter about it and despise the people that hadn't offered, but she was just appreciative. She never thought that she would find another person that truly cared about her after…_them…_

She killed that thought right there. No, she wasn't going to bring them up any longer. This ends here…Yet, Corporal Nichols didn't help any when he suddenly turned to her and spoke his thoughts.

"You probably've heard this a million times, but….You know, this ain't your fault. What happened to them…It was thrown at you and you had no choice. The decisions you made…well, it could've happened to anyone. Even the professionals. It's not like they've never had to sacrifice things…sacrifice family." He encouraged hesitantly, not quite sure if what he was saying was as good as it sounded like it did in his head minutes ago.

Melody just took in a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes. "Jake, right? Please, just stop. If you care about me at all, then you'd shut up right now." She said softly, almost in a whisper, eyes still shut.

Nichols looked away from the road for a minute and scanned her face. "M'sorry." He muttered and looked back through the windshield.

It was quiet amongst them again and she nearly sighed. She had to admit that she was surprised, and pleased, that he stopped it there. Of the people that had tried to bring it up and comfort her about the situation, she had never met one that actually listened to her and let it go. The majority continued to push, claiming that they knew better than her and needed to speak, until she just exploded. She still scoffed when she thought about their confused, shocked faces. It was as if they weren't expecting her to be serious. Like they were shocked she actually had feelings and truly didn't want to hear what they had to say.

She made a note to thank Nichols for all that he's done so far for her before they would split up. She had to admit, she was going to miss being with him. He understood what she was going through and actually took her feelings into consideration. The others had thought that they knew her more than she knew herself even though they had never met before. With Nichols, he's seen the terrors of war and remembered his own demons. Sometimes, it was just better to keep to yourself so you could work and think things through yourself. Nichols was the only one who understood that.

Now, she just prayed that her father understood that. She imagined he would, but she still prepared herself. Her father was good about surprising her sometimes.

* * *

"Well, there's your dad." Nichols announced after waiting thirty minutes in a parking lot for a grocery store.

Her mouth was dry and her heart thumped in her chest as she watched her father's old truck pull into the closest parking spot. It had been four years since she had heard her father's voice let alone see or talk to him. She imagined she would be nervous seeing him again, but now she realized she was terrified.

While growing up, she had been afraid of her father. He was such a dominant figure in her life and she always felt judged whenever she was in his presence. Thinking back on it, she probably was.

Her father wasn't the supportive, encouraging type while she was growing up. Sometimes, she thought of him more as her teacher or drill sergeant rather than her father. Though, whether she liked it or not, he was still her father and she loved and respected him. It was biological and natural, it would be hard not to.

Some would consider him abusive, in a sense, but he never hurt her, at least physically. Melody truly believed that he had her best in mind though his idea of rearing a child was rather blunt and harsh at times. She knew she should be lucky that her father did care, but it was hard to think of him as loving.

She remembered, while growing up under his thumb, envying her friend's life and his parents. They were the normal family and lived the cookie-cutter lifestyle. Melody always envied him though he wished for a life as uncommon and, as he considered it, adventurous as hers.

Her heart dropped to her stomach at the thought of her dearest friend. Her social skills were never that great because she lived under her father's thumb for so long and he never taught her the social skills she would need for later life. While most of her classmates saw her as awkward and weird, Zachary was the only one that accepted her and thought her "funny". They had been best and close friends since first grade.

Though, she had no idea how his life was now and what has happened to him in the past four years since they separated. When they last saw and spoke to each other, the day she left for war, she told him that she, most likely, would never see each other again and that it would be easier for the both of them if they pretty much "broke up" from their friendship.

Zachary had thought she was crazy and stupid, but he eventually complied. Sometimes, Melody lay awake at night and thought of him late into the night. She would lay there and wonder if she had hurt him with that decision and if he even remembered her anymore. Sometimes, she would sit at her desk and she'd scribble a few words on a piece of paper, intending to write him a letter, then she would remember the promise she enforced upon him and would crumble it and toss it in the trash, heartbroken that she couldn't spill her thoughts and feelings onto a page for her best friend to read.

For four years, she missed her best friend, someone she considered her brother, and wanted nothing than to see him again, hug him tight, and never let him go. Now, she was given the opportunity to do so, but she had no idea if she even should. What if he forgot her? What if he hated her for making them quit their friendship? What if he found a new friend and scoffed at the mention of her name?

Maybe it was best if they stayed separated. She wouldn't know how to go on if her "brother" actually rejected and hated her.

Her thoughts were broken off when she heard Nichols slam his car door. She hadn't realized that he had even stepped out of the car and shook her head to rid herself of her thoughts. Nichols was approaching her father while she battled to free herself from the locked seatbelt.

She hadn't met her father's eyes yet and she had no idea how she was going to. She still couldn't believe that she was actually seeing him again after so many years. Like she mentioned before, she never thought she would return to her home town or her family. She always heard about new recruits being the first to get gunned down and didn't have a great expectancy as far as her survival was concerned. Yet, here she was, faced with people and situations that she never thought she would see again.

Melody reached behind her and dug her duffel bag from underneath's Nichols' things and threw it onto her lap. She peeked outside to see Corporal Nichols firmly shaking her father's hand and gulped.

Finally, she gathered as much courage as possible and pushed the car door opened. So many things have changed since she last saw her father. She was a younger, innocent girl just starting out in life. Now, she was twenty-two and so many things have scarred her, both physically and emotionally. She knew she wouldn't be the same, she had expected it, but she was still overwhelmed by it all.

She couldn't quite see her father over Corporal Nichols' stout figure, but she could hear the voice that used to strike fear in her heart when she was younger. Yet, something was different this time around. Before, it was rather stern and demanding, but now it seemed lighter and friendlier. She couldn't tell if it was a façade, but even before he never changed the tone of his voice when meeting with other, or new, people.

So, now she stood there nervously and clutched her duffel bag. For weeks, she had been anticipating her return trip to start her life over, but now she wished she could pile back into the car and drive off again. Though, she knew hiding or stalling was pointless. She was going to have to face her father sooner or later. There was no running away anymore.

As if he could read her thoughts, suddenly he peeked over Nichols' shoulder and beamed. She knew she should return the smile, but instead her face wrinkled in confusion. Yet, Benjamin didn't seem to notice or mind.

"Melody!" He cheered and nearly pushed Corporal Nichols' out of the way.

Melody took a step back, her instincts telling her to rush away from the man jogging towards her, but she had to remind herself that her years of training was no longer mandatory.

Benjamin smiled at his daughter and threw his arms around her shoulders, closing her in with a bear hug. "You have no idea how great it is to see you, kid." He nearly whispered, welcoming her back home.

Melody just arched a brow and kept her arms at her sides. "Um, hi, Dad." She finally muttered out as he drew his arms back.

Benjamin ignored her awkward confusion and rested a hand on her shoulder, fingers playing with her chestnut hair.

"I was talking with your friend over here and I heard about all that happened. I just want you to know that none of that matters anymore if you don't want it to. Everything's gonna be different now, Mells." He said with a warm grin, resisting the urge to reach out and cup her cheek.

Melody immediately felt guilty about her previous thoughts. She never would have thought that he would actually say something like that. Something had happened in the four years they had been separated and she wanted to know what. But, she had time for that later during the car ride. They still had hours to go until she was really home.

Again, as if someone sensed her thoughts, Corporal Nichols came over and offered a hand towards Benjamin. "Captain, sir, I just gotta let you know it's been an honor getting to meet you. I heard all about your mission with Captain Price and the others. What you did was legendary and brave. I hope I can do the same one day." He declared with a nervous smile.

Benjamin removed his hand from her shoulder and accepted his handshake. "Well, it's been a pleasure meeting you, uh…"

"Nichols. Corporal Jake Nichols, sir." He affirmed with a straight-back position, giving Captain Johnston his full attention like he was drilled.

Benjamin grinned and nearly saluted him, but figured it was a little much. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Corporal Nichols. Thank you, again, for taking the time and bringing my girl back home. You have no idea how much it means to me to know that someone's looking out for her without me there."

Melody balled her hands into fists at her side and resisted the urge to scream as flashes of _them _flashed through her mind, accompanied with accented voices and deep chuckles. They were soon followed by screams and final grunts.

Suddenly, Benjamin was at her side again and she heard a car door slam behind her. Nichols had already started his car and was prepared to leave when she looked over her shoulder and met his eyes.

She couldn't tell what was going through his mind at that moment, but she almost wished he would either stay or she could go with him. Right now, he seemed to be the only one that understood her. She never realized how unready she was to really leave the military life behind her until now. She never thought to realize what that actually meant.

She spent four years of her life in the military, but it felt like a lifetime. She made friends and memories to last a lifetime. Then, she remembered all that had happened in those four years were gone now. The people and the memories…

Benjamin snapped her from her thoughts by pressing a hand between her shoulder blades, gently, and led her towards his vehicle. She bent down to pick up her duffel, but realized that Ben had already taken it and was making his way to the truck bed.

Now, she just had her shoulder bag. She watched as Benjamin threw the duffel onto the truck bed and turned back to her. "Is that all you had?" He questioned as he looked around her area.

She just nodded and glanced around with him. "Didn't have much I wanted to bring back." She finally answered.

Benjamin was silent and just nodded. He, himself, didn't fully understand what she was feeling. All he wanted to do was go back to his glorious military life when he made it back home to Melanie and her family, while she wanted nothing to do with it. They were complete opposites, but he still understood why she would feel that way. He'd be lying if he said that war was easy on him, his body and conscious.

He grinned and waved her over. "Well, I imagine you're ready to sleep in your old bed. We still got quite a ways, but it shouldn't be that long. Maggie's planning to make a special dinner tonight for ya, all your favorites."

Melody grinned at the thought of Margaret, nicknamed Maggie. She was mostly his help around the house after separating from his wife, but she had grown to be part of their family. She was touched to hear that she still remembered and was touched by the kind deed. Now, she was looking forward to returning home.

* * *

They were about an hour away from home when Benjamin decided to talk. They had made little comments back and forth to each other from the music they listened to and the news they heard. But, an actual conversation hadn't been made.

"Your, uh, your hair's different from the last time I saw ya. Much longer." He commented as he glanced over at her while they sat at a traffic light.

Melody scoffed. "Yeah, hair tends to do that after four years."

Benjamin ignored her harsh sarcasm and just grinned with her. "Yeah, it used to be shorter than mine, right? It looks nice…You really look like your mother this way." He stated nervously.

Melody felt an uncomfortable twitch at the mention of her mother, but decided not to start up that argument so soon. So, she remained silent.

Benjamin noticed her decision of remaining silent and the awkward tension seeping from her and rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. Of course mentioning her would strike a nerve. He, honestly, didn't blame her. "Well….If it means anything, I think you look real nice. Definitely a helluva lot better than what I did when I got back." He complimented with a grin, hoping to lessen the thick tension between them.

Melody grinned half-heartedly and just grunted her agreement. It was silent amongst them again as they continued to listen to the radio and watch the scenery roll by them.

Benjamin couldn't help but feel disappointed that their reunion was turning out to be a lousy one, but he knew why and he understood why. He wasn't winning any father of the year awards, that was for sure.

He thought about the years he had from his wife, now ex-wife, and youngest daughter and how unbearable it ended up being. He always thought that things would be better for them all if he was no longer part of their lives, but it was excruciating on his part.

There was no denying that he still loved Melanie and wished he had realized that before he chose to let her go. He thought that he needed isolation or separation from his past to recover from it, but ever since the first day of their divorce, he felt worse.

The days were long and unbearable without Melanie and their youngest daughter and sometimes he wished he had the guts to call them. He knew their number and where they lived, but on nights alone he still couldn't find the courage to dial the number and just listen to Melanie try to speak to the person on the other end, whether or not he answered to her forced greetings.

Though, he knew wishing and hoping was pointless. After everything he had done to her and what he hadn't done for her, he knew there was no going back. Melanie was smart and strong like her parents; there was no way he'd be accepted back into her close-knit family. Even if he did, it would never be the same.

No, things couldn't change for him. He had already cursed himself, but he knew there was still hope for the daughter sitting alongside him. Whether or not she accepted the truth or not, he knew it was out there. With that, a thought came to mind.

"You know, I told him I'd keep quiet and let it be a surprise like he wanted, but I just can't keep my mouth shut any longer." Benjamin started, getting her attention after moments of silence.

Melody made the decision of not really talking with her father during their awkward car ride, but curiosity easily took over her stubbornness. "What're you talking about? Keep what quiet?"

Benjamin grinned victoriously, rather pleased with himself that he still knew how to get her interest. Just the mention of something she didn't know and she'd be glued to your side until you finally told her.

"You remember your old buddy, Zachary? Well, I told him a week or so about you coming home and he's been planning a welcome home party for you. He's invited nearly the whole town. You shoulda seen his face when I said you were comin' home! More excited than a kid on Christmas morning." Benjamin finally answered, chuckling at the boy that had, easily, become part of their small family.

At first, Melody beamed with excitement at the mere thought of seeing her friend, but then she remembered her previous thoughts on the very same matter. No, she would complicate his life and she knew it. For four years, she had been given the curse of ruining every good thing that came in her life. This party couldn't be happening.

"What's the matter, kid? Aren't you excited to see your old friend?" Benjamin inquired when he saw the smile slowly leave her face.

"Of course I am!" She hissed, shocked and angered that he would dare question her devotion to her childhood friend, then continued. "It's a bad idea, trust me. I'll ruin it or something."

Benjamin shot a sympathetic, concerned look her way while glancing towards the road in front of him. "You don't ruin anything, Melody."

Melody just scoffed. "Funny, ten years ago you told me that every morning." She replied bitterly to his deep, sincere concern.

Benjamin sighed and wrapped his fingers tight around the steering wheel. He had prayed that this conversation wouldn't even be mentioned, but it was obvious that it was meant to be. There was no hiding it.

"Melody, I've changed, honest. Ever since you've left…I've missed you so much, Melody, really. And then I hear about your…incident and I was crushed. All I wanted was you back home with me so I can take care of you. I am never letting you out of my sight again." He revealed whole-heartedly as he stared ahead of him, unable to even glance over and see her response.

For a split second, she was touched and nearly reached out to him, but then a dozen memories flashed throughout her mind. He made that promise countless times while she was growing up. They were always empty and broken within a day or two. So, instead, she slumped back into her seat and crossed her arms.

"Whatever you say, Dad."

With that, it was silent between them and stayed that way. Any feeling of reunion was immediately dismissed as Melody's bitter words echoed around them, leaving the same, built-up tension between them that used to surround them for years.

Perhaps Melody was right, nothing had changed. Perhaps they were doomed to repeat their mistakes. Perhaps she was wrong for resigning and returning home. What if nothing got better, but slowly sank deeper and deeper in the depressing, judgmental environment that her childhood home was cursed with conceiving.

For the first time in weeks, Melody felt a longing to be back at some base, complaining about the heat and sand with the others. She wished Corporal Nichols would appear before them and come to take her away from the place she thought she had wanted to run to.

But, Corporal Nichols was not coming back. Her resignation was official and there was no going back to the life she had made. It was time for her to be mature and take on this future she had thought she wanted.

She would go home and see those she grew up with. She'd force her best smile and pretend like nothing had changed. Though, everything had changed. Four years ago, she dreamt of a relaxed, care-free life with the company of friendly faces and smiles.

Now, she would lay her head down at night and bite her tongue until blood filled her mouth to keep from screaming. She would claw at her eye sockets in vain hope of blinding herself from the haunting images. She would do everything and anything she could to keep the nightmares at bay. Though, it was all done in vain. The nightmares found her every night.

The heavy beating of a nearby chopper, the rhythmic sound of rapid fire of battle, the sound of men screaming commands over gunfire and unintelligible chatter of the enemy's mother tongue. There was no escaping the sound of shrieking mothers and children as they saw her and others burst through doors to bag their target. There was no way to forget the look of hate in civilians' eyes as she and her comrades roughly pushed one of their family members, who were also dangerous targets, back towards their vehicles.

No, nothing was going to be the same. She knew what she had signed up for, yet the memory of it all was still unbearable. She had no idea how she was going to explain the blood under her nails come tomorrow morning after a clawing session.

Though, she still had time to worry about that. For now, she would put on her best face and try to act civilized and decent for her father's and Margaret's sake.

* * *

**So, there's the official, first chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed it and please do leave a review! I would LOVE to hear from y'all and see what you have to say. Once again, any kind of help would definitely be appreciated! Thank you all, again, for the reviews so far and the support :3**

**Have a nice day and I hope to see you again! :)**


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